Jun 28, 2011

So like a battered and broken partner that I am, I decided to let D&D back in...

But only a little bit! Really! I'm drawing lines on the floor now. There is a strict rulebook that we now follow, and morale-raising measures have been taken, lest the floggings return.

Greetings and salutations readers - It is I, Donny the DM passing along an interesting factoid to those of you who havent been here since the beginning. Did you know that you are reading a blog that has actually been abandoned TWICE!? Okay, so that really wan't all that interesting - sue me.

I'm not actually back. Really, I'm not. I noticed that even after disappearing since February or some shit that I was still adding followers...What the hell? Ummmm....welcome :)

To those 48 of you bravc souls who still have the patience to read my nerdy semi-coherent rantage, an update: I am a Microcosm of the American dream - at least the economy side of it. Unemployed for 17 months now, trying to modify various debts and such. Cue the violins, please. Life has been...interesting for awhile now, and while I hear about this supposed recovery we are in the midst of, I keep wondering when it'll trickle down this way. It will eventually, but I must admit to a bit of impatience :)

On the bright side, after a 6 week hiatus in what had been an almost unbroken weekly D&D game, I decided that I still love D&D, I just think that the management sucks - at least as far as anything digital that comes from WotC. In any event, I am now playing in two games and running a third which has helped a lot in learning how to just love the bomb.

Looking into starting a traveller game on the side though - will keep you informed.

Still waiting for 4E future :)

Now for some questions @ the peanut gallery:

1.)How often is everyone actually using skill challenges?

2.)Has anyone been able to Productively use the VTT? I've been working on it, but...look - I'm a CAD drafter and engineer by trade and if I am having a difficult time figuring it out then the UI sucks. Does anybody else agree? Am I a total moron that just doesn't get it? The forums seem awful light on negative critique - what say you?

3.)Anyone else disappointed with Daggerdale (the PC game)? D&D licensed RPG's used to be some of the best games out there (see Baldur's Gate series, Neverwinter nights series, SSI gold box series, etc.) There are several unlicensed game worlds, and a plethora of developers out there - Where is the Dragonriders of Krynn? Escape from castle ravenloft? Against the sorceror-kings? How about a game that starts as a run of the mill Elder scrolls 4 clone until you reach 5th level and a giant anchor falls out of the sky from the clouds above?

I like the Virtual Tabletop and am having a ball with it. I DM a Virtual Tabletop and play in 3 others regularly. Yes, there are bugs, but that's why it is in BETA testing. Things continue to improve as I go on with it.

I use and have been involved with Skill challenges, and see their effectiveness in play. I have also played with DMs that don't use them, per se, or at least don't obviously let on that that is what is happening, and let it blend with the roleplay, which is how the mechanic should play out, anyway(as with all of the game's mechanics).

The digital output doesn't really bother me as much as it seems to bother you. Nothing is perfect, and what they present to their subscribers are options which any DM is free to alter, abandon, or embrace as is.